Device for washing photographic prints.



No. 846,109. 1 v PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907. A. SAJOHN'SON, JR. DEVIOE'FOR WASHING PHOTOGRAPHIG PRINTS,

APPLICATION TILED APR-.3. 1905.

INVENTOR 17bk7z607'g ATTORNEYS to provide a simple and efficient ALFRED S. JOHNSON, JR.,

OF WAUPUN, WISCONSIN.

DEVICE FOR WASHING PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1907.

Application filed April 3,1905. Serial No. 258.892.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED STANLEY J OHNSON, J12, a citizen of the United States, residing at /Vaupun, in the county of Fond du Lac and State of lVisccnsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for lVashing Photographic Prints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates, generally, to photographic apparatus, and more particularly to a device for washing prints, the object being device by means of which a series of prints can be placed within a tank or vat and thoroughly washed and a further object of the invention is to provide a device which will avoid the ne cessity of constantly removing and replacing the prints, as now commonly done.

Another object of the invention is to provide for arranging a plurality of prints in a vertical position, whereby the washing operation is more quickly accomplished.

With these objects in View my invention consists, essentially, in the employment of a stiff, foraminous partition adapted to be arranged between the series of prints to be washed; and the invention consists, also, in the employment of a series of said foraniinous partitions and two or more plates of glass for holding the series of prints and partitions in an upright position within a tank or vat.

The invention consists, also, in certain de tails of construction, hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the practical application of my invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing the tank in section and the print and partition or screen in elevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the tank with the prints, partitions, or screens and plates arranged therein. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the partitions or screens and illustrating the construction thereof in detail.

In carrying out my invention I employ a tank or vat A, which may be of any suitable size and material and into which leads a water-supply pipe B and from which leads the discharge-pipe O. The photographic prints to be washed are shown at D in Figs. 2 and 3, said prints being arranged within the tank or vat in vertical or upright position, there being a stiff, foraminous partition or screen E arranged between each pair of printsthat is, the prints and partitions or screens are arranged alternately, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3-and upon each side of the assembled prints and screens are arranged the plates F, preferably of glass, thereby holding the prints in their proper upright positions, and, if de sired, spacing blocks or strips G may be arranged between the inner sides of the tank or vat and the glass plates F, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3.

In practice I employ a partition E, which will not be affected by the chemicals washed from the prints, and I prefer to employ a cotton screen of coarse mesh, the strands E thereof being covered with a coat of celluloid, as shown at E in Fig. 4. It is obvious that perforated partitions of celluloid or guttapercha could be employed; but in practice I have found a screen constructed as shown herein and described to answer the purpose thoroughly.

By means of a device constructed and arranged as herein shown and described a number of prints can be arranged in a vertical position in a tank or vat and thoroughly washed by running the water through said tank or vat, and in this manner the entire series is thoroughly washed at a single operation and the removal and replacing of the prints in one or more pans of water entirely avoided.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device of the kind described, comprising a tank, supply and discharge pipes arranged respectively at opposite ends of the tank, plates vertically arranged in said tank and parallel to the sides of the tank, means for spacing said plates from the sides of the tank, and a plurality of foraminous partitions arranged vertically between the plates, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A device for washing photographic prints, comprising a tank having a supplypipe at one end and a discharge-pipe at the other end, blocks secured to each side of said tank, a pair of vertical plates arranged between said blocks, and a plurality of vertical foraminous partitions coated with celluloid arranged between said plates, as set forth.

ALFRED S. JOHNSON, JR. Witnesses E. D. DONEY, JAMES MURRAY. 

